is this self harming?

Question

im not sure about this.
i cut my the bottom of my feet so the skin comes away. it looks disgusting. but i can't stop. somebody said to me (joking) your selfarming yourself! now im begining to wonder if i actually am....
maybe subconsciencly or something? i do feel down a lot.

it hurts when i walk.

i think it might be more of an OCD thing...

Answer 1

yup - you are just doing it where there will be a lot of pain but no one else is likely to see it.

Answer 2

Hi, If you are cutting your feet then i would say yes it is a form of self harming. Are you stressed in any way. Your feet must really hurt when you walk. Why not try self help, treat yourself to foot therapy, buy nice foot wash, and get a pumice stone to take off all the dead skin, use a good foot butter to rub into your feet so your skin is lovely and soft, make sure your toenails are manicured and put nail varnish on them. Do this on a regular basis so your feet look lovely you may just get out of the habit of cutting your skin. Once your feet look really good treat yourself to a nice pair of shoes. Good Luck.

Answer 3

If it hurts when you walk then aren't you harming yourself?

Why are you cutting the bottom of your feet? If it is just to make them softer, perhaps you can buy some good lotions and one of those feet scrapers made of sandpaper! Then they will look nice in sandals!

If you are cutting them to relieve some sort of tension, it could be an issue. If you feel down a lot, maybe it would be a good idea to look into why you are down and try to figure out positive, constructive ways to combat it.

Just my two cents! Good Luck!

Answer 4

Why are you doing that? Do you have some kind of problem with your feet like callouses that bother you or something?

Or do you do that just because you feel like doing it? That sounds like self harm to me.

Either way, see a doctor. If it's for the first reason; the doctor should be able to find a better way to treat the problem. If it's for the second reason, you may need psychiatric care.

There could be complications, like infections that could spread and cause serious health problems.

Answer 5

When you feel down do you believe that cutting the skin on your feet will make to feel better and act as a release of emotion? If so then yes this is self harm. What were you thinking when you first started to do this? What was your motivation?

Answer 6

if you cut your feet when your angry or upset and you feel you need to do it to get rid of fustration/anger then this is self harming but if your doing it without any of these feelings then its not self harm. Its like some people pick at scabs on their skin or pick their toenails just out of habit, maybe this is why your doing it. And the feet is a weird place to self harm, if you really were self harming you'd cut on your arms or wrists, somewhere that you knew youd bleed alot which self harmers think gets rid of the pain the more they bleed so for you to have to go to all the bother of removing your socks and shoes to cut youself I doubt your doing it to self harm, if this was the case youd be cutting arms or legs, somewhere thats more easy to get to than your feet. I think its just a weird habit!!!

Answer 7

Kind of...I think...

Is the skin your cutting off "Normal" or is it horribly thick and plastic-like?

I do it often...I pull at the skin on my feet - I've been doing it so long now the skin on my feet is pretty bad.

Got a massive bloody great seg on my left foot which I sometimes cut off (its right in the middle of where I apply pressure when walking) I just grab it with my fingernails and start sawing at the thing with a pen-knife or scissors

check the pic on this website -
http://www.foot-health.info/diabetic/

(I'm not diabetic, but I just WISH that could happen to my seg...)

I once pulled the skin so bad...y'know that line on the bottom of your foot where the "pressure pad" I guess (or whatever its called) is? (under your toes...) Well...the line DISAPPEARED completely under thick skin - then it split when walking home from work (YEEEEOW!!!) Took off my sock...blood-covered munched-up rawhide dog-chew stuff all over my foot where the seg was...EEEUURRGH! (and..."OUCH") - its got better though now, still not normal skin, but the skins not like munched-up rawhide anymore at least!!!

Answer 8

i self harm and from what you have posted it sure sounds like it to me.
but why do you do it is it an ocd thing or to make your self feel better about things. what ever the case speak to you GP if it hurts when you walk then you should at least try to get some help before it gets out of control
good luck

Answer 9

Not too sure if it classified as self harming, but to me it sounds like a type of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
This is generally thought of as people always checking things like light switches are off, or that the windows are locked, but can also be things like picking scabs, peeling off skin, pulling out hair etc.
There is no reason to feel embarrassed about this, it is quite common, and certainly more common than people think!

i would go to my doctor if i was you, and see what he says, good luck!

Answer 10

What are your thoughts when you are doing it?

Are they negative thoughts?

And do you do this mostly/only when you are feeling down or even when you are happy?

What is your logical reason for doing it?

You need to ask yourself these questions.

Because if so then i think you may be, but i can't see you doing it subconsciously.

If things are affecting you this bad you really need to speak to your doctor/samartians/friends as it can and will only get worse.

I started self harming (cutting myself with razor blades) at the age of 10, and it got worse until at the age of 17 one night i cut myself with a bread knife and my arm was half hanging off (i under-estimated how sharp it was)........have a scar halfway round my arm now.

So please, look after YOU !!!

God Bless You, But please think about what is making you unhappy.

Take care x x x

Answer 11

think you are most def especially if u feel u cant stop and that it helps you to feel better. In recovery courses they say to put an elastic band around your wrist and snap it while they try to get to the bottom of the cause, its less harmful and you will at least be able to walk good luck x